Osteospermum plant named ‘Balserdalav’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Osteospermum  plant named ‘Balserdalav’ characterized by its dark lavender-colored ray florets, light purple-colored disc florets, medium green-colored foliage, and upright, mounded growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Osteospermum ecklonis.

Variety denomination: ‘Balserdalav’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofOsteospermum plant botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balserdalav’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in ArroyoGrande, Calif. during August 2003. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Osteospermum cultivars that are freely floweringwith unique inflorescence coloration and a freely branching, compact andupright growth habit.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was ‘Balserpurp’, U.S.Plant Pat. No. 16,477, characterized by its deep purple-colored rayflorets, dark green-colored foliage, and a compact, upright moundedgrowth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was unknown.The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected by the inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedopen-pollination during December 2003 in a controlled environment atArroyo Grande, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceDecember 2003 at Arroyo Grande, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. hasdemonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with allcharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balserdalav’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant:

-   -   1. Dark lavender-colored ray florets and light purple-colored        disc florets;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Upright, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower and foliage color.

Of the many commercially available Osteospermum cultivars known to theinventor, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is thefemale parent ‘Balserpurp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,477. However, in sideby side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of‘Balserpurp’ in the following characteristic: Plants of the new cultivarhave a lighter ray floret color than plants of ‘Balserpurp’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalinflorescence and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors inthe photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed description, which accurately describes the colors of‘Balserdalav’. The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 13 weeks in agreenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balserdalav’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balserdalav’with all of the ray florets open and 2 rows of the disc florets open.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balserdalav’with all of the ray florets open and half of the disc florets open.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Apr. 27, 2005 between 3:00p.m. and 4:00 p.m. under natural light conditions, in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings taken from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 13 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 60° F. to 75°F. (15° C. to 24° C.) during the day and approximately 45° F. to 55° F.(7° C. to 13° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 5,000 to9,000 footcandles were maintained during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Osteospermum ecklonis cultivar    Balserdalav.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘Balserpurp’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,477.        -   Male parent.—Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 9 to 12 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 21 to 28            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 10 to 13 weeks from a rooted            cutting.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Upright, mounded.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 33.9 cm. Height from soil level to top of            foliage: Approximately 28.3 cm. Width: Approximately 20.8            cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching. One to two pinches            improves basal branching. Approximately 1 main branch per            plant and lateral branches forming at every node.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Length from soil level to base of            peduncle: Approximately 10.6 cm. Diameter at base:            Approximately 8.3 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: N144D.            Internode length at center of branch: Approximately 8.9 mm.        -   Foliage.—Number of leaves per main branch: Approximately 27.            Fragrance: Pungent. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.            Aspect: Right angle or acute angle to stem. Shape:            Spatulate. Margin: Dentate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 8.1 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            4.6 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Hispid. Color            of upper surface of mature foliage: 137A with venation of            145B. Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 137C with            venation of 145B. Petiole length: Approximately 1.6 cm.            Petiole diameter: Approximately 3.5 mm. Petiole texture:            Glabrous. Petiole color: 145B.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balserdalav’ is freely flowering under            outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous            blooming from late spring through autumn and year round in            greenhouse environment.        -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 15.3 weeks from sticking            of unrooted cutting.        -   Lastingness of individual bloom.—Approximately 7 to 10 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Type: Solitary, composite, persistent. Shape:            Round. Aspect: Facing upward. Arrangement: Terminal, held            above the foliage, arising from leaf axils. Fragrance:            Pungent.        -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 5.        -   Size.—Diameter: Approximately 6.6 cm. Depth: Approximately            2.2 cm.        -   Bud rate of opening.—Generally takes 3 to 5 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open inflorescence.        -   Bud just before opening.—Quantity per plant:            Approximately 3. Shape: Ovate. Length at first color:            Approximately 1.6 cm. Diameter at first color: Approximately            1.1 cm. Color: 2B.        -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately: 22.            Arrangement: Overlapping. Aspect: Initially at acute angle            to disc, becoming nearly perpendicular with some downward            turning of apex at maturity. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:            Emarginate with three tips. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.            Length: Approximately 3.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately            9.1 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower            surface: Glabrous with dense pubescence at base. Color of            upper surface of fully open ray floret: N78B. Color of lower            surface of fully open ray floret: 186D with ribs of 187A.        -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 9.7 mm. Depth: Approximately            6.5 mm.        -   Receptacle.—Shape: Round, mounded. Height: Approximately            2.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 5.3 mm. Color: 154D.        -   Disc florets.—Quantity: Approximately: 72. Arrangement:            Acropetally on capitulum. Aspect: Erect. Shape: Tubular.            Apex: Five acute tips. Base: Attenuate, fused. Margin:            Entire. Length: Approximately 7.9 mm. Diameter at apex:            Approximately 2.4 mm. Diameter at base: Approximately            1.0 mm. Texture of upper or inner surface: Glabrous. Texture            of lower or outer surface: Pubescent. Color of inner and            outer surfaces: 75B with tips of 83B.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: 23. Arrangement: In            one whorl. Shape: Linear to lanceolate. Aspect: Acute angle            to stem. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire.            Length: Approximately 9.3 mm. Width: Approximately 2.2 mm.            Texture of upper or inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of            lower or outer surface: Pubescent. Color of upper or inner            surface: 144A in center with 150C along margins. Color of            lower or outer surface: 144B in center with 150C along            margins.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 7.8 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.6 mm.            Texture: Hispid. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium, on disc florets only:            Stamen quantity: 5 per floret, fused around the style.            Stamen length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Anther shape: Linear.            Anther length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Anther color: N187B            with N187A at apex. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color            17B. Gynoecium, on disc and ray florets: Pistil quantity:            One per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma            shape: Two-parted. Stigma length: Approximately 0.8 mm.            Stigma color: N186A. Style length: Approximately 5.5 mm.            Style color: 4D. Ovary length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Ovary            texture: Glabrous. Ovary color: 4D.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Osteospermum has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named‘Balserdalav’, substantially as herein shown and described.